👋 GOOD MORNING - Happy Tuesday! Hey, it’s no longer Monday, so there’s that!

Make sure you keep an eye on that WNBA scoreboard tonight, because the winner of the Las Vegas / Indiana game will move on to the Finals to face the Mercury. The best-of-seven series kicks off Friday, and where it begins depends entirely on who wins tonight: If Indiana wins, Phoenix hosts Games 1, 2, 5 and 7. If Vegas advances, the Mercury will host Games 3, 4 and 6.

We will know that fate tonight.

On to the show!

— Patrick Brown, PHNX Sports Daily Editor

The Diamondbacks’ season is over.

A year that started with great anticipation over a deep October run never really got terribly exciting, to be honest. Sure, Arizona made a late attempt to beat the postseason odds and sneak in, but dropped its final five games of the season to finish 80-82.

The Diamondbacks’ 80 wins are nine fewer than last year’s team — which also missed the postseason — though both pundits and fans are quick to point out the litany of injuries suffered this season, especially by the pitching staff.

That reason alone gives credence to the decision by the club to retain Lovullo for 2026, as reported by multiple credible outlets, marking the skipper’s tenth season at the helm. It is also his final season under contract.

Many fans and talking heads called for the team to move on from Lovullo — including yours truly — but it’s tough to argue with the results put forth by the Diamondbacks following a fire sale at the trade deadline, which accompanied the aforementioned injuries.

They were still within striking distance of a Wild Card spot until nearly the very end, but it simply proved to be too much of a hurdle.

So, where in the world do the D-backs go after finishing 23rd in the league with a 4.49 team ERA, though the starters were marginally better at 19th (4.29)? You’ve got to think it’s a results-or-else season for Lovullo, who has only been to the postseason twice in nine seasons.

Don’t forget, though, one of those two was one of the most memorable playoff runs in Diamondbacks history after they captured the NL pennant in 2023.

The Diamondbacks’ surprise deal for Corbin Burnes got fans daydreaming, but don’t get too carried away, because the club is expected to slash its payroll for 2026. CEO Derrick Hall told AZCentral’s Nick Piecoro in early August he expects the number to drop, and he’s got an even better argument considering how some of the team’s top prospects performed down the stretch.

Arizona was decimated by injuries, and it’s not going to be fully healthy right out of the gate next season. Burnes, for example, said he was hoping to return to play around the All-Star break next season after undergoing Tommy John surgery this past June. Relievers A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez are in the same boat, while outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. tore his ACL in early September.

No one is coming back from those kinds of injuries in a hurry.

They are by no means the youngest team in baseball, but it’s easy to forget just how much youth still drives this roster. 25-year-old Corbin Carroll can be one of the most dynamic players in the game, and fellow 25-year-old Geraldo Perdomo was clutch while the D-backs were surging for a postseason spot.

Blaze Alexander (26) and Alek Thomas (25) contributed greatly down the stretch, and young prospect Jordan Lawlar (22) just seemed to be rounding into Big League form after starting his young career in an 0-for-31 slump.

My Take: It sure looks like a “prove it” year for Lovullo, and it’ll need to be a dandy of a performance. A drop in spending, coupled with lingering injuries that will extend well into the regular season, are going to force Lovullo and his staff to rely on players who are just entering their primes to accept a true leadership-type role.

Perdomo already showed his leadership abilities by addressing the media at the peak of Ketel Marte-gate, and Carroll is heavily involved in the Arizona community. Others will need to follow their leads into 2026 — and beyond.

On Deck: Tune in tomorrow for the PHNX Sports Daily’s Big 12 Power Rankings! How far did the Wildcats tumble after their loss in Ames? And the Sun Devils — can they claim one of the top two spots after toppling the Horned Frogs last Friday? The conference picture is slowly starting to take shape, but there is still SO MUCH to be decided.

It’s a Date: Wildcats football announced the game information for Saturday’s matchup against No. 25 BYU, as the game kicks off at 5 pm and will be broadcast on ESPN2. Arizona is facing its second consecutive ranked opponent, but at least they get this one at home after falling to No. 14 Iowa State last Saturday in Ames.

Getting Defensive: The Sun Devils football team earned multiple awards from the Big 12 this past week: Prince Dorbah was named the Co-Defensive Player of the Week, Jesus Gomez was named Special Teams Player of the Week, and the ASU defensive line earned Defensive Line Player of the Week honors.

Cool callout re: Gomez: He’s just the fifth FBS player since 2015 to make game-winning field goals in back-to-back games.

Congrats to all!

We love you too, Zac!

How I feel about playoff baseball in The Valley: